An acoustic guitar typically includes a hollow resonant box that amplifies the vibrating sound of the strings under soundboard of the guitar body. The resonant box is completed by back plate and side ribs. The guitar strings are installed at the guitar bridge that is fixed to the surface of the soundboard. The end of each string is typically held by means of a tapered pin. The string is rolled onto a tuning bolt or peg at the other end of the guitar neck. At the bottom part of the guitar bridge, a plurality of string tapered holes is provided. The tapered holes have a tapered surface, and there is one for each guitar string.
The method used to anchor an acoustic guitar strings to the guitar body have been by means of tapered pins or bridge pins which are installed, along with the guitar strings, into the tapered holes through the bridge, the soundboard, and the bridge saddle. The tapered pins entrap the ball-ends of the guitar strings to the underside of the bridge plate. From there the strings extend the full length of the fingerboard and seat in the nut before wrapping around a tuner located on the headstock. The tensioning on the strings is then increased by tuning the tuner until the desired pitch is achieved. All the guitar strings are put on the guitar in the same manner.
The problem with this method is that the guitar strings from the bridge saddle to the string anchor points contact wood at high forces, which causes the wood to deform.
Another problem with this method is that, instruments such as acoustic guitars typically use the tapered pins to hold down the strings. These pins need to be removed every time the strings need to be replaced, but the pins are so firmly placed that they cannot be removed by bare hands but need a tool (such as pliers, nippers, or the like), however such tools may damage expensive musical instruments and tapered pins of high quality material such as ivory, ebony, or the like.
Patent application number JP2011043780 discloses a bridge mechanism for string instruments, wherein the mechanism includes a bridge having a string length correcting function, and a string end-holding mechanism that eliminates the need for a fixing pin, that can exchange the strings, and that does not protrude toward an upper surface in the string instrument, such as, acoustic guitar. The bridge mechanism includes a bridge part and a string end-holding mechanism part. The mounting position for the bridge part is finely adjustable by attaching the bridge to the upper surface of the sounding board using a bolt nut. The string end-holding mechanism hold and release the end of the string, by changing an operation direction of the string, and the string holding mechanism part fixes the bridge part and the string end-holding mechanisms to the upper backside.
An object of the present invention is to provide an efficient method to hold down to the strings at the bridge system without damaging or deforming the guitar wood or pin holes.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a system for holding the guitar strings without the use of tapered pins.